On the Organic Trail

Originally appeared in New Hope Network’s IdeaXchange, May 2019
By Steven Hoffman

In which the author spends the month of May visiting Whole Foods Market Global Headquarters in Austin, TX; EARTH University in Costa Rica, the world’s leading university of sustainable tropical agriculture; and Washington, DC, lobbying at OTA’s Organic Week on behalf of organic agriculture, industrial hemp and CBD.

Boulder, Colorado, is a pretty great place from which to run a public relations, communications and brand marketing agency dedicated to natural, organic, eco-friendly, hemp-centric and other mission-based brands. For a relatively small town, the concentration of natural products entrepreneurship and resources available for both startups and established businesses is like few other places (see Naturally Boulder).*

Yet, after a long winter, and having received a small handful of unexpected invitations, I packed my bags for a nearly month-long road trip that began with a visit in early May to Whole Foods Market’s global headquarters in Austin, TX (another “epicenter” of natural products; see Naturally Austin), to attend a unique brand innovation summit; and ended by participating in the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week in Washington, DC. There, yours truly served as a speaker and sponsor of OTA’s annual policy conference, which included visits to congressional offices to lobby on behalf of organic agriculture and industrial hemp and CBD.

In between, I took advantage of a unique opportunity to travel to Costa Rica – a country in which I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the late 1970s – to visit and learn about a number of permaculture, regenerative organic and sustainable agriculture operations and educational institutions in a country that has taken the lead on sustainability and climate change in Latin America.  

From Punta Mona, an educational permaculture farm reachable only by boat or hiking trail where the Caribbean Sea meets the coastal rainforest, and EARTH University, the world’s leading sustainable tropical agriculture institution drawing more than 400 students and researchers from over three dozen countries, our Costa Rica tour also took us to Finca Luna Nueva (New Moon Farm), a 300-acre biodynamic farm and eco-resort located adjacent to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, a 250,000-acre nature reserve at the foot of Arenal Volcano in the north of the country. There, Finca Luna Nueva’s founders are dedicated to promoting sustainable building and regenerative agriculture, and spreading the message worldwide about soil health, carbon sequestration and climate change.

This, then, is my brief tale, On the Organic Trail.

• Boulder and Austin are not the only epicenters of natural products entrepreneurship in the country. Check out Naturally Chicago for companies and events in the Windy City. Note: Presence Marketing is a founding Sponsor of Naturally Chicago.

Whole Foods Market, Austin, TX – Brand Innovators Summit
With a lower pricing strategy and a renewed commitment to supporting brand innovation, Whole Foods Market hosted on May 2-3 Secrets to a Healthy Brand Strategy, an invitation-only summit that matched some of the world’s largest food companies with unique startup and emerging brands vying for attention online and on the shelf. Held at Whole Foods’ corporate headquarters in Austin, TX, and produced by Brand Innovators, the largest peer-to-peer community of brand marketers in America, the event featured an exploration of consumer behavior and technology and what it takes to build enduring healthy lifestyles and mission-based brands.

Former Whole Foods Market board member and Celestial Seasonings founder Mo Siegel opens the Brand Innovators summit in Austin on May 2

I was invited to the brand strategy summit after getting to know Michael Schall on a hiking trail during an earlier trip to Hill Country outside of Austin. Michael, Senior Coordinator of Global Growth and Business Development for Whole Foods Market, is also former CEO of Manischewitz Kosher Foods and Guiltless Gourmet. A very knowledgeable and experienced business leader and one heck-of-a nice person, after learning of my work, Michael insisted I attend. How could I possibly say no?

There, I met Wes Hurt, a recovering drug addict and founder of CLEAN Cause, a sparkling Yerba Mate beverage company founded in Austin in 2015 that donates 50% of its profits to support recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. The products are sold online and in select stores nationwide; nearly $300,000 in profits have been donated to date. I also spoke with Peter McGuinness, CMO of Chobani. While the company has an unsurpassed social mission, I asked Peter if Chobani is considering coming out with certified organic products, produced without the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides such as glyphosate, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones to serve a core organic consumer like me. While Chobani’s yogurt products are not produced organically, Peter mentioned the company is exploring some plant-based offerings made with organic ingredients – a positive move for people and the planet, in my respectful opinion. Other speakers included the founders and senior-level managers of Siete Foods, a Texas-based and family owned maker of grain free chips; Harmless Harvest, seller of premium certified organic coconut water; Jamba Juice; Pepsico; Sir Kensington’s; Vital Farms; Maple Hill; Health-Ade Kombucha; and more.

My takeaway: Competition is everywhere today, yet Whole Foods Market continues to be the mecca of natural and organic products – it is the place where the largest multinational corporations as well as local startups aspire to sell their products. And its association with Amazon, while infrequently mentioned during the conference, was certainly felt. In my perspective, the leadership at Whole Foods’ is energized and empowered to expand the company’s influence and reach and further enhance the bridge between brick and mortar and online retail. Whole Foods remains the gold standard in natural products retailing.

Costa Rica Organic Farm Tour
With a national greeting of “Pura Vida,” meaning “pure life,” Costa Ricans share a sunny attitude and gratitude for what they have. The government abolished the armed forces in 1948, and has since invested in healthcare and education. Costa Ricans welcome visitors from around the world; English is spoken and the dollar is accepted throughout the country, though being able to speak some Spanish is certainly a benefit. Costa Ricans, or “Ticos,” are very proud of their nation’s biodiversity and natural beauty. This past year, Costa Rica took the lead on sustainability and climate change in Latin America. During my excursion, we were able to visit the following organic and sustainable agriculture locations.

Herbalist Sarit Bianca at Punta Mona in Costa Rica

Punta Mona – South of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, a delightful, off the beaten track, Rasta-style community on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, beyond road’s end, lies Punta Mona, a 100-acre permaculture outpost just 10 miles north of the Panama border, reachable only by boat or by foot on a trail cutting through eight kilometers of primary rainforest. (The boat ride was a blast; during our trip it was much too muddy to hike the trail.) Powered by solar panels, Punta Mona is located right off the beach, and it is also decidedly off the grid. Founded by father and son organic products entrepreneurs and permaculture advocates Norman and Stephen Brooks, Punta Mona draws visitors and volunteers from all over the world to tour and/or work in the farm’s lush and diverse fruit and vegetable gardens, community kitchen, herbal products laboratory, and all other aspects of managing the farm and “rustic” resort. If you go, be prepared to “rough it.” But if you can handle rainforest-style basic camp conditions, the natural beauty, organic agriculture, good clean healthy plant-based food, and biodiversity simply cannot be beat. Stephen Brooks also is founder of La Ecovilla, a planned permaculture community located northwest of Costa Rica’s capital city of San Jose.

Students from nearly 40 countries attend EARTH University for degrees in mission-based, sustainable tropical agriculture

EARTH University – On the eastern coastal lowlands outside the town of Guacimo, Costa Rica, among massive commercial banana and pineapple plantations, is a 10,000-acre nature preserve and internationally renowned sustainable agriculture college, EARTH University. You may have heard of EARTH University, or at least its sustainable fair-trade bananas, sold in Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S. Established in 1986 as an international nonprofit agricultural education and research institution, EARTH university draws more than 430 students from over three dozen countries for a full, four-year degree in Agricultural Sciences. Led by an international faculty, EARTH University’s innovative educational approach has been preparing entrepreneurially minded young people from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and other regions to contribute to the sustainable development of their home communities while constructing a prosperous and just global society. According to its leadership, EARTH University offers a world-class scientific and technological education emphasizing ethical entrepreneurship and a strong socio-environmental commitment. Traveling with lifelong friend and colleague Jim Frank, an estate tax advisor and former fraternity brother from my Penn State University days, we were treated to lunch and extensive tours by a number of EARTH researchers, faculty and staff who generously took the time to show us sustainable banana and cacao research and production, student test plots, state of the art facilities and more. Frankly, there is no place like EARTH University. The campus is open to visitors; consider it in your travel plans if you are a tropical sustainable agriculture geek, like me. One additional note: our visit included a stop at Ecolirios, a boutique eco-resort, restaurant and modern architectural treasure located on a beautifully landscaped plateau in the heart of the mountainous rainforest up a steeply inclined, low-gear, four-wheel drive road. A bumpy ride, but once you get there, the experience is well worth it.

Finca Luna Nueva (New Moon Farm) in Peñas Blancas near Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica

Finca Luna Nueva – With a newly completed, open-air, poolside restaurant built from locally sourced bamboo and other sustainable materials, plus comfortable cabins, bungalows, yoga studio and common areas located throughout the property, Finca Luna Nueva in Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica, is a jewel in the rainforest and the biodynamic pride and joy of New Chapter’s former CEO Tom Newmark and his wife Terry, owners of Finca Luna Nueva along with their longtime business partner and farm manager Steven Farrell. With its neighbor and program partner, Brave Earth, Finca Luna Nueva offers educational workshops in sustainable building and regenerative agriculture, corporate retreats, yoga retreats, and a world-class eco-resort in the heart of one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Located adjacent to the 250,000-acre Children’s Eternal Rainforest preserve near the Arenal Volcano, visitors to Finca Luna Nueva can take farm and cacao tours and view toucans, sloths, and other wildlife along the property’s hiking trails. Finca Luna Nueva was named among the Ten Best Eco-lodges in Costa Rica by Bookmundi in January 2019. Co-owner Tom Newmark co-authored a recent article in Yes! Magazine on the importance of soil health, carbon sequestration and climate change. Tom, a board member of Greenpeace USA, also is co-founder of The Carbon Underground, a nonprofit organization committed to drawing carbon out of the atmosphere and into the soil to help mitigate climate change. Spoiler alert: my agency, Compass Natural, compiles a quarterly e-newsletter for Finca Luna Nueva. For more on Finca Luna Nueva, visit here or contact me at steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

OTA’s Organic Week, Washington, DC
Capping off a marathon month of travel was a visit to Washington, DC, on May 20-23, where my agency, Compass Natural, was invited by the Organic Trade Association to help plan and present an educational track focused on the growing market for organic hemp, CBD and related products as part of OTA’s annual Organic Week policy conference.

Carla Vernon, President of General Mills’ Natural & Organic Unit, speaks on May 22 at OTA’s Organic Week in Washington, D.C.

At the conference, OTA announced that sales of organic products in the U.S. surpassed $50 billion, growing 6.3% to reach a record $52.5 billion in 2018. Almost 6% (5.7%) of all food sold in the U.S. is now organic, driven in large part by demand for organic produce, dairy, plant-based products, dietary supplements, textiles and fiber. “Organic is now considered mainstream. But the attitudes surrounding organic are anything but status quo,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the OTA. “In 2018, there was a notable shift in the mindset of those working in organic toward collaboration and activism to move the needle on the role organic can play in sustainability and tackling environmental initiatives.”

As part of OTA’s Organic Week, I was scheduled to visit several congressional offices on Capitol Hill, lobbying on behalf of organic food and farming and industrial hemp, CBD and related products. The staff at the offices of Colorado Senators Michael Bennett and Cory Gardner were supportive of industrial hemp in our meetings, and in alignment with Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ goal of furthering Colorado’s leadership in industrial hemp, as were staff leaders in the offices of Colorado Representatives Joe Neguse and Diana DeGette. However, staff at the offices of Idaho Congressmen Russell Fulcher and Mike Simpson deferred to their state’s legislature when it came to my questions regarding Idaho’s seizure in January of a container shipment of industrial hemp from a licensed grower in Oregon bound for processing in Colorado, despite the 2018 federal Farm Bill declaring that interstate transport and commerce of hemp-derived products is now legal throughout the U.S.

In addition to our Capitol Hill visits, I moderated a lively seminar attended by a number of organic farmers interested in or already growing hemp for food, supplements and fiber as part of an educational track focused on hemp during OTA’s Organic Week. The importance of certified organic in hemp farming cannot be overstated – currently, nearly 80,000 acres are in hemp production in the U.S., and few of them are certified organic, meaning that all that hemp is being grown conventionally using toxic, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

At the seminar, longtime organic farmer Chris Jagger, owner of Blue Fox Farm in Oregon, shared how he began growing hemp three years ago. Instead of planting hemp densely, like they do for fiber production where tall stalks and little foliage are desired, Chris farms his hemp like a specialty crop, or “like vegetables,’ he says, to cultivate the delicate hemp flowers for CBD extraction. Currently, a small number of organic certifiers, including OneCert, CCOF and MOSA are certifying farms for organic hemp production, and rumor has it some other major certifiers will soon follow.

Organic agriculture is a bright spot in the U.S. farm economy, continuing to grow at a rate more than double the growth rate of the overall U.S. food market. According to new OTA data, the number of organic farms grew by 39% while the total number of farms in the U.S. shrank by 3% between 2012 and 2017. Organic products can now be found in more than 82% of U.S. homes, and in some states, including California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and my home state of Colorado, organic products are in over 90% of U.S. households. Now, after a month of travel, that’s news worth coming home to.

Noteworthy Events

• Grain Place Foundation 2019 Field Day, July 13, 2019, Marquette, NE – Help preserve the legacy of the 300-acre Grain Place organic farm in Eastern Nebraska, which first went organic in 1953 and has been shepherded by the Vetter family ever since. Join over 100 organic farmers for a tour of the Grain Place and a keynote luncheon presentation by renowned organic farming pioneer Bob Quinn and Liz Carlisle, co-authors of Grain by Grain. Learn more. To sponsor the 2019 Field Day with a tax-deductible contribution, contact me at steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

• Southern Hemp Expo, Sept. 6-7, 2019, Franklin, TN – Learn about the exploding market for products derived from industrial hemp – from bioplastics to CBD – at the 2nd annual Southern Hemp Expo, the largest hemp exposition and conference in the Eastern U.S., featuring an investors summit, business conference, agriculture symposium and a full exhibition half. Visit www.SouthernHempExpo.com. To exhibit, sponsor and for more info, contact me at steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

Steven Hoffman, is Managing Director of Compass Natural, dedicated to providing brand marketing, public relations, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic and sustainable products businesses. A former agricultural extension agent and also former Editorial Director of New Hope Network’s natural products trade magazine and trade show division, Hoffman brings 30+ years of communications, sales and brand marketing expertise to his clientele. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

Photos: Compass Natural

One Organic Farmer Treats Hemp Grown for CBD Like a “Specialty Vegetable Crop”

Originally Appeared in Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, May 2019
By Steven Hoffman

The importance of certified organic in hemp agriculture cannot be overstated. Currently, nearly 80,000 acres are in hemp production in the U.S., and very few of them are certified organic. That means that the majority of hemp produced in the U.S. is being grown conventionally, using potentially toxic, synthetic pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizer derived from the fracking of natural gas.

Frankly, that’s not very good for the environment or for the oncoming climate crisis, as conventional agriculture is one of the largest non-point sources of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions contributing to global warming, and fracking releases massive quantities of methane – another potent GHG – into the atmosphere. On the other hand, organically grown hemp can actually sequester carbon out of the atmosphere and put it back in the soil where it belongs, helping to keep CO2 and other noxious GHGs out of the atmosphere.

Additionally, when given a choice, I’ll choose CBD and hemp extract products that are produced and processed organically, thus minimizing my dietary exposure to toxic pesticide residues and other chemical solvents, because who wants pesticide residues included with their concentrated botanical medicine?

Seeing the explosive growth of the hemp market in the wake of the 2018 Farm Bill, the organic industry’s leading trade association, the Organic Trade Association (www.ota.com) invited my communications agency, Compass Natural, to help plan and present an educational track focused on farmers’ perspectives and market opportunities for certified organic hemp, CBD and related products as part of OTA’s annual Organic Week policy conference, held May 20-23, 2019, in Washington, D.C. OTA’s Organic Week draws organic industry leaders from across the U.S. to interact with policymakers and Congressional leaders to help forward the interests of organic food and agriculture.

At the Organic Week conference, OTA announced that sales of organic products in the U.S. surpassed $50 billion, growing 6.3% to reach a record $52.5 billion in 2018. Almost 6% (5.7%) of all food sold in the U.S. is now organic, driven in large part by demand for organic produce, dairy, plant-based products, dietary supplements, textiles and fiber. “Organic is now considered mainstream. But the attitudes surrounding organic are anything but status quo,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the OTA. “In 2018, there was a notable shift in the mindset of those working in organic toward collaboration and activism to move the needle on the role organic can play in sustainability and tackling environmental initiatives.”

Lobbying for Hemp
As part of OTA’s Organic Week, I was scheduled to visit several congressional offices on Capitol Hill, lobbying on behalf of organic food and farming and industrial hemp, CBD and related products. The staff at the offices of Colorado Senators Michael Bennett and Cory Gardner were supportive of industrial hemp in our meetings, and in alignment with Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ goal of furthering Colorado’s leadership in industrial hemp, as were staff leaders in the offices of Colorado Representatives Joe Neguse and Diana DeGette. However, staff at the offices of Idaho Congressmen Russell Fulcher and Mike Simpson deferred to their state’s legislature when it came to my questions regarding Idaho’s seizure in January of a container shipment of industrial hemp from a licensed grower in Oregon bound for processing in Colorado, despite the 2018 federal Farm Bill declaring that interstate transport and commerce of hemp-derived products is now legal throughout the U.S.

In addition to our Capitol Hill visits, I moderated a lively seminar attended by a number of organic farmers interested in or already growing hemp for food, supplements and fiber as part of an educational track focused on hemp during OTA’s Organic Week. At the seminar, longtime organic farmer Chris Jagger, owner of Blue Fox Farm in Oregon, shared how he began growing hemp three years ago. Instead of planting hemp densely, like they do for fiber production where tall stalks and little foliage are desired, Chris farms his hemp like a specialty crop, or “like vegetables,’ he says, to cultivate the delicate hemp flowers for CBD extraction. Currently, a small number of organic certifiers, including OneCert, CCOF and MOSA are certifying farms for organic hemp production, and rumor has it some other major certifiers will soon follow.

At the same time across town, hemp advocate Ben Droz participated in the inaugural Congressional Cannabis Forum hosted on May 21 by Washington, D.C.-based KCSA Strategic Communications. “While covering all aspects of the cannabis market, the KCSA forum presented a hemp panel that examined capital markets and the global economic implications of the legalization of hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill,” said Droz. “If hemp extracts become a global commodity, it might not necessarily benefit small scale farmers and producers,” he cautioned. “However, until the FDA comes up with more clear guidelines concerning hemp products, the big corporate players will continue to sit on the sidelines, allowing time for smaller brands to establish and build market share, but that could change at any time,” he said. Droz noted that the FDA scheduled its first public hearing on hemp and CBD in food and beverage for Friday, May 31, 2019. Information on the hearing is published in the Federal Register.

Organic agriculture is a bright spot in the U.S. farm economy, continuing to grow at a rate more than double the growth rate of the overall U.S. food market. According to new OTA data, the number of organic farms grew by 39% while the total number of farms in the U.S. shrank by 3% between 2012 and 2017. Organic products can now be found in more than 82% of U.S. homes, and in some states, including California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and my home state of Colorado, organic products are in over 90% of U.S. households. Here’s hoping that organically produced hemp follows suit.

HUNGRY FOR MORE: Hudson River Foods Rounding Out Product Offerings with Acquisition of Dancing Deer Bakery and Hodgson Mill

Boston-based Kosher Gourmet Gift Basket Company and Illinois-based Whole-Grain Products Manufacturer Move to 100,000-Square-Foot Manufacturing Plant in the Hudson River Valley

Castleton, NY (May 21, 2019) – Hudson River Foods, a family of organic, non-GMO, kosher, vegan and allergy-free food and beverages, has acquired Boston-based gourmet gift basket company Dancing Deer Baking Co. and Effingham, IL-based Hodgson Mill, which produces flours, cereals, baking ingredients and baking mixes. Both companies’ operations have moved to Hudson River Foods’ headquarters in the Hudson River Valley, just south of Albany, NY.

“With these strategic acquisitions, Hudson River Foods continues to reinforce its leadership position in every aspect of the non-gmo, kosher and organic food and beverage market,” said Donna Ratner, chief operating officer of Hudson River Foods. “We’ve come a long way since we first started selling green drinks in 2005 and made our first acquisition in 2008. We’re absolutely thrilled to bring these cutting-edge brands into the fold.”

Dancing Deer offers gourmet cookie and brownie gift baskets and homemade-style bakery items. Founded in 1994 in a former pizza parlor in West Roxbury, MA, DD made a name for itself selling baked-from-scratch gift baskets through grocery, direct-to-consumer, reseller and corporate channels. The company, which was started by a baker, a business strategist and an artist who have since moved on, offers dedicated allergen-free options in their lines.

Hodgson Mill, a family-owned company that has grown into a national leader in whole grain products and high-quality gluten-free flours, cereals, baking mixes, quinoa and rice, uses a premium milling process to ensure all of its grains’ nutritious germ, bran and natural oils are fully preserved. The products are sold in BPA-free packaging.

The companies have transitioned to Hudson River Foods’ environmentally conscious 100,000-square-foot manufacturing plant outfitted with energy-efficient HVAC systems and LED lighting for the Hudson River Foods family of brands, including Tempt Hemp, European Gourmet Bakery, Cherrybrook Kitchen, Epic Seed, 479 Popcorn, Healthy To Go and High Country Kombucha.

About Hudson River Foods
Located in the scenic Hudson River Valley in upstate New York, Cell-nique Corp., dba Hudson River Foods (formerly Healthy Brands Collective), is the parent company to a nationally and internationally known portfolio of better-for-you natural and organic brands, including Tempt Hemp, European Gourmet Bakery, Cherrybrook Kitchen, High Country Kombucha, Healthy To Go, Epic Seed and 479 Popcorn. Established in 2005 by Dan Ratner, a former GE Capital executive, and Donna Ratner, one of the founding pioneers of MTV, Hudson River Foods is committed to environmentally responsible business practices, and is dedicated to providing “Healthier Foods, Healthier Life.” Visit https://hudsonriverfoods.com/.

Where to Find Us
Products manufactured by Hudson River Foods are available in leading grocery, natural and specialty retailers nationwide, and through leading distributors including UNFI, KeHE, DPI, Davidson, CNS and more. For wholesale inquiries contact sales@hudsonriverfoods.com, tel 888.417.9343.

Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural. steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com, tel 303.807.1042

# # #

NatchCom — The Natural Product Industry’s Premier Digital Conference — Set for San Francisco, June 17 - 18

#hacknatural

April 29, 2019 (San Francisco, CA) – NatchCom Inc. — the natural product industry’s digital media and education company — announced the dates for its third event: June 17 and 18, at The Presidio’s Golden Gate Club, San Francisco, CA.

“After two, amazing 2018 conferences in Boulder CO, bringing NatchCom to the Bay area, a global center of natural and organic products as well tech, made complete sense,” said Jennifer Krupey, CEO NatchCom. “The industry demand could not be ignored.”

NatchCom is partnering with several Northern California, natural product business groups and leaders, including Naturally Bay Area, the regional affiliate of the Naturally Boulder network. “We couldn’t be more excited to be working with NatchCom and bringing this innovative conference to the Bay Area,” said Michael Anzalone, Program Director of Naturally Bay Area. “Food and tech are an inherent part of the DNA of San Francisco. This event brings to these two enormously important worlds together like never before.”

NatchCom launched its inaugural conferences — the first of its kind in the $200 billion natural product industry — to great success in Boulder, Colorado, in 2018. The conference helps natural products companies advance their digital sales and marketing strategies, including Amazon, email marketing, social media and paid search. NatchCom brings together digital tech and natural/organic brands to optimize profits and build community.

“The NatchCom approach to helping emerging brands get it right in digital is something of real value to our members,” said Anzalone. “The online vertical is the fastest growing vertical in natural products, topping more than $11 billion, so this education is critical to our Bay Area community.”

The first round of speakers was just announced and includes a host of digital experts, channel reps and natural products representatives from companies including RANGEme, Boxed, Alfalfa’s Markets, Amazon, Parsnip, Hidden Rhythm, Moxie Sozo and others. To view the current list of attending speakers, visit here.

Event information:
For sponsor, speaker and registration information, visit www.NatchCom.com, or contact info@natchcom.com.

To purchase tickets, visit here.

About NatchCom
At NatchCom, we believe the natural/organic product revolution matters. That’s why we built an event designed to help emerging and established natural product companies thrive online. In short, NatchCom seamlessly connects the power players in today's digital world with the fast-growing $200 billion natural products industry. The two-day gathering is a hands-on, interactive experience that helps industry professionals take their e-commerce and digital marketing game to a new level. No other event brings together the natural product industry and tech to optimize profits, share marketing best practices and, ultimately, #HackNatural.

Contact
NatchCom CEO, Jennifer Krupey
Jen@NatchCom.com

Hemp on the Bayou, a Town Hall-Style Symposium, Explores Opportunities in Hemp on May 1 During New Orleans JazzFest

Originally Appeared in Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, April 2019
By Steven Hoffman

What could be better than attending the legendary JazzFest in New Orleans, especially for retailers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and others interested in the rapidly growing industrial hemp products market? With over 25,000 uses ranging from full-spectrum CBD hemp extract and hemp superfoods to textiles, building materials and bioplastics, now that hemp is legal in the United States as a result of the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, its impact has the potential to change the world.

Join hosts Morris Beegle and Rick Trojan of the Let’s Talk Hemp Podcast on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, at the Central City BBQ, 1201 South Rampart Street, in historic downtown New Orleans for Hemp on the Bayou, held this year during the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Presented as a town-hall style symposium, Hemp on the Bayou will feature a recap of the sold out NoCo Hemp Expo, educational tracks on hemp market opportunities, USDA and FDA rules and regulations, the 2019/2020 hemp forecast, growing hemp in Louisiana and throughout the U.S, policy predictions and more.

Hemp Experts Gather in New Orleans During JazzFest
Speakers for Hemp on the Bayou feature such industry luminaries as Tim Gordon, President of the Colorado Hemp Industries Association, and Chief Science Officer of leading CBD producer Functional Remedies; Jeffrey Cole, Senior Director of Business Development for Restorative Botanicals, maker of foods and supplements made from full-spectrum hemp extract; Dani Billings, President and Co-founder of the hemp-centric spa Nature’s Root, and founder of the Colorado Hemp Project; biological and agricultural engineer Kristy Hebert, founder of Louisiana-based Cypress Hemp; Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp and Executive Director of the Hemp Industries Association; and other experts and specialists in hemp agriculture, production, sales, marketing, and business development.

“We are beyond thrilled to combine the excitement of the hemp industry with the energy and excitement of JazzFest as we present Hemp on the Bayou to the Louisiana agriculture, entrepreneurial, music and entertainment communities,” said Morris Beegle, Co-founder of Colorado Hemp Company, producer of Hemp on the Bayou and the annual NoCo Hemp Expo, the world’s largest gathering of hemp industry professionals. Beegle is also producer of the upcoming Southern Hemp Expo, Sept. 6-7, 2019, in Nashville, TN.

In addition to educational panels, Hemp on the Bayou will feature networking, community, collaboration, a New Orleans live music “After Party” and “Crawfish Fest,” and more. Presenting Sponsors for the 2019 Hemp on the Bayou include Restorative Botanicals and Seed2System. For tickets and information to participate in Hemp on the Bayou, visit www.hemponthebayou.com

EarthX: Hemp Can Save the Planet
In addition to hosting the upcoming Hemp on the Bayou in New Orleans on May 1st, Morris Beegle will be a featured speaker at the 2019 EarthX, April 25-28, 2019, in Dallas, TX. A leading nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire and energize the global community in ways that help create a sustainable world for all living things, and a better, cleaner, healthier world for future generations, this year’s international EarthX conference will feature a special educational track on industrial hemp. In addition to Morris Beegle speaking at the event, Southern Hemp Expo is a Sponsor of EarthX. Visit www.EarthX.org.

Save the Date: Southern Hemp Expo
Save the date for the 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo (SHE), September 6-7, 2019, in Nashville, TN. NoCo Hemp Expo is the largest gathering of hemp industry professionals in the Eastern U.S. Visit www.SouthernHempExpo.com to learn more.

About Hemp on the Bayou
Hemp on the Bayou is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company, a division of WAFBA LLC (We Are For Better Alternatives), based in Loveland, CO. WAFBA also is the producer of NoCo Hemp Expo, the world’s largest conference and exposition for hemp industry professionals and advocates, and the 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo , Sept. 6-7, 2019, in Nashville, TN. Colorado Hemp Company also is the founder of TreeFreeHemp paper and printing services. Areas of focus include product and brand development, event production, and advocacy. Hemp on the Bayou provides support to nonprofit organizations including the Jack Herer Foundation; and Hemp History Week, celebrating its 10th anniversary in June 2019. Learn more at www.hemponthebayou.com, or visit us on Facebook. 

Hemp Hits the Big Time: 2019 NoCo Hemp Expo Draws Capacity Crowd of 10,000 Hemp Industry Professionals and Enthusiasts to Denver

Originally Appeared in Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, April 2019
By Steven Hoffman

What began in 2014 as a modest meeting of intrepid Loveland/Fort Collins-based hemp entrepreneurs has grown into the world’s largest gathering of hemp industry professionals in the world.

Breaking all attendance records in its 6th year, over 10,000 hemp industry professionals and enthusiasts – including growers, producers, manufacturers, retailers, investors and others from throughout the U.S. and more than 20 countries – converged in Denver March 28-30 for the 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo to showcase everything from CBD products to hemp building materials, network, and get educated and updated about the fast-changing industrial hemp market.

Featuring a special keynote address from Colorado Governor Jared Polis, plus presentations from Native American leader and “hempreneur” Winona LaDuke, Dr. Bronner’s CEO David Bronner, dietary supplements regulatory expert Loren Israelsen and others, an Investor Forum, Business Conference, Farm Symposium and an exhibit hall showcasing 225 vendors, interest was so heightened about all things hemp that NoCo6’s impressive lineup of workshops and education was completely sold out.

“We’d like to extend a huge and humbling thank you to all who participated in and attended the biggest and best NoCo Hemp Expo to date,” said NoCo Hemp Expo co-founders Morris Beegle and Elizzy Knight. “This event proved once again that purpose and intention are at the heart of the hemp movement.”

“The excitement around the hemp industry right now is tremendous, and that was showcased through the 10,000-plus attendees at NoCo6,” said Garrett Bain, Chief Sales Officer for GenCanna, Presenting Sponsor of NoCo6 and a Kentucky based industry leader focused on scaling premium agricultural hemp production for food and supplement products. ”We’re proud of our great relationship with the Colorado Hemp Company [producer of NoCo Hemp Expo]empHem and can’t wait for next year!”

“NoCo6 pulsed with energy; the sense of something big happening was palpable,” observed Loren Israelsen, President of the United Natural Products Alliance, based in Salt Lake, UT, and a featured speaker at NoCo6. “As a newcomer to the hemp industry, but a veteran of the dietary supplement industry, the event offered a reminder of our own evolution, and a peek into what the future of hemp might look like. The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill has both liberated hemp production and also complicated the place of CBD in the market. How this all works out will be one of the great stories of our age, and I look forward to being a part of it.”

NoCo Hemp Expo Program Highlights
Featured speakers for this year’s NoCo Hemp Expo included Colorado Governor and hemp advocate Jared Polis; Native American tribal leader turned hemp farmer Winona LaDuke; David Bronner, CEO of legendary soap maker Dr. Bronner’s; renowned market researcher Dr. Michelle Barry; regenerative agriculture and soil expert Ray Archuleta; hemp expert and author Doug Fine; hemp entrepreneurs Dani Billings of Nature’s Root and Janel Ralph of Palmetto Harmony; and other leaders breaking new ground in the industrial hemp market. For a complete list of speakers, visit here and for a full program schedule from this year’s event, visit here.

Digital Magazine Available
Also, NoCo6 has produced a digital and print magazine and show program, Let’s Talk Hemp, for the first time in partnership with Honeysuckle Magazine, which can be viewed here.

Thank You to Our Sponsors
GenCanna™ was featured as the Presenting Sponsor of NoCo6. Business Conference Sponsors included: Elixinol, New Hope Network, Benmar Extractions, Hoban Law Group, Lilu’s Garden, McAllister Garfield P.C., Frank Robison Law Group, and Steep Fuze Coffee. Farm Symposium Sponsors included; Bluhen Botanicals, Bish Enterprises, Colorado Breeders Depot, Front Range Biosciences, Hempsac, New West Genetics, ProVerde Labs and Rad Extracts. Meet all of our Sponsor Partners here: https://nocohempexpo.com/sponsors/.

Save the Date: Southern Hemp Expo
Save the date for the 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo (SHE), September 6-7, 2019, in Nashville, TN. NoCo Hemp Expo is the largest gathering of hemp industry professionals in the Eastern U.S. Visit www.SouthernHempExpo.com to learn more.

Read More About the 2019 NoCo Hemp Expo

• “Jared Polis Becomes a Rock Star at NoCo Hemp Expo,” Westword, March 29, 2019

• “Firms Looking to Invest Big Money in Colorado’s Hemp Industry,” Denver Post, March 29, 2019

• “NoCo Hemp Expo Runs Friday & Saturday,” Denver 7 News, March 29, 2019

• “Hemp Entrepreneurs Hear the Benefits – and Challenges – of Booming Industry at Colorado Expo,” Denver Post, March 29, 2019

• “The ‘Hemp Opportunity’ is in Full Flower at NoCo Hemp Expo,” New Hope Network, March 29, 2019

• “Hemp Is Next: Colorado Wants More Than Marijuana Prominence,” Westword, March 30, 2019

• “Pet Owners Check Out Expo In The Hopes Of Finding Answers To Pet Anxiety, Pain,” CBS Denver, March 31, 2019

• “10,000 Show Up for the NoCo Hemp Expo in Denver,” 9 News Denver, March 31, 2019

About the NoCo Hemp Expo
The 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company, a division of WAFBA LLC (We Are For Better Alternatives), based in Loveland, CO. WAFBA also is the producer of the 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo and founder of TreeFreeHemp paper and printing services. Areas of focus include product and brand development, event production, and advocacy. NoCo6 provides support to nonprofit organizations including Bee Heroic; the Jack Herer Foundation; and Hemp History Week, celebrating its 10th anniversary in June 2019. Learn more at NocoHempExpo.com, or visit us on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, #NoCo6. 

The Year of Hemp: New Farm Bill Ignites Market for All Things Hemp, Showcased at the 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo, March 28-30, Denver

Originally Appeared in Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, March 2019
By Steven Hoffman

Featuring an Investor Forum, Business Conference, Farm Symposium and an Impressive Lineup of Workshops and Education During the 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo.

Hemp growers, producers, manufacturers, investors and others are feeling bullish in 2019, since the passage in late December of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Better known as the Farm Bill, the legislation championed by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was nothing less than historic, in that it legalized for the first time in over 80 years the commercial cultivation and sale of industrial hemp, defined as containing less than 0.3% THC. Since then, the market for all things hemp has taken off.

And, the exploding world of hemp will be on display at the upcoming NoCo Hemp Expo, March 28-30, 2019, at the Crowne Plaza DIA Convention Center in Denver. Now in its 6th year, the NoCo Hemp Expo is the largest gathering of hemp industry professionals under one roof. Given the excitement about the market today, nearly 10,000 attendees are expected.

Indeed, the legalization of industrial hemp has been a boon for independent natural foods and specialty retailers, said Loren Israelsen, President of the United Natural Products Alliance, an expert on regulatory law, and a featured keynote speaker at NoCo6. “For smaller stores, this category has been a lifeline for them as they battle to maintain foot traffic in the stores as online sales continue to grow,” said Israelsen, who will present his perspectives on hemp, CBD, dietary supplements and the FDA at NoCo6’s Business Conference on Friday, March 29.

According to Hemp Business Journal’s new report, The Global State of Hemp: 2019 Industry Outlook, U.S. sales of hemp products – from full-spectrum hemp extract and CBD products to hemp foods, textiles, building materials, bioplastics and more – estimated at $1 billion in 2018, are projected to grow 27% annually to reach $2.6 billion by 2022. Global hemp retail sales totaled $3.7 billion in 2018 and are projected to grow to $5.7 billion by 2020.

NoCo Hemp Expo Program Highlights
Featured speakers for this year’s NoCo Hemp Expo include Colorado Governor and hemp advocate Jared Polis; Native American tribal leader turned hemp farmer Winona LaDuke; David Bronner, 5th generation CEO of legendary soap maker Dr. Bronner’s; renowned market researcher Dr. Michelle Barry; regenerative agriculture and soil expert Ray Archuleta; hemp expert and author Doug Fine; hemp entrepreneurs Dani Billings of Nature’s Root and Janel Ralph of Palmetto Harmony; and other leaders breaking new ground in the industrial hemp market. For a complete list of speakers, visit here and for a full program schedule, visit here.

Other NoCo6 event highlights include:
Hemp Industry Daily Investor Forum, Thursday, March 28, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Legal updates and insights; investment trends and deal flow; opportunities and investments; networking; luncheon and more. Visit here for info.

Let’s Talk Hemp Business Conference, Friday, March 29, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Vertical integration; policy and regulation; compliance and certification; processing and manufacturing; market research; the global business of hemp. Visit here for info.

Let’s Talk Hemp Farm Symposium, Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Regenerative farming; soil health; genetics; new technology and equipment; regulations and compliance. Visit here for info.

Expo Hall, Friday and Saturday, March 29-30, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
With more than 225 exhibitors, NoCo6’s Expo Hall is open to B2B visitors on March 29 and March 30. The Expo Hall is open to consumers and the public on March 30. Features include the Bish Equipment Zone, HempToday International Alley, Science & Tech Spotlight, Adept Payments Workshop and Education Stage, EnviroTextiles Fashion Parade, Blu Nahulu Art Zone and more. Visit here for info.

NoCo After Party, Saturday, March 30, 8:00 pm – Midnight
Hang with friends at the Hemp Renaissance Ball After Party on Saturday, March 30, 8:00 pm – midnight at the Renaissance Hotel – Denver Stapleton. Buy tickets here.

Press Conference, Friday, March 29, 9:00 am – 9:45 am
For media attendees, NoCo Hemp Expo will host a press conference on Friday, March 29, 2019, onsite at the Crowne Plaza DIA Convention Center at 9:00 – 9:45 am, before the conference and exhibition hall opens. To qualify for a Press Pass, journalists, editors and media must complete a press application here.

“With more than 25,000 industrial uses, hemp is a gift to humanity and the environment,” said Morris Beegle, co-producer of NoCo6. “We have an incredible opportunity to build the kind of sustainable, regenerative, socially responsible marketplace we want, and NoCo Hemp Expo is where the hemp community convenes to plan and prepare for a bright future.”

Tickets Are On Sale Now
Tickets are available for the Pre-Conference Hemp Industry Daily Investor Forum, Let’s Talk Hemp Business Conference, Let’s Talk Hemp Farm Symposium and B2B Industry Day in the Bluebird Botanicals Expo Hall. For all ticket levels, information and to purchase tickets, visit our website.

Thank You to Our Sponsors
GenCanna™ is the Presenting Sponsor of NoCo6.

Business Conference Sponsors include: Elixinol, New Hope Network, Benmar Extractions, Hoban Law Group, Lilu’s Garden, McAllister Garfield P.C., Frank Robison Law Group, and Steep Fuze Coffee.

Farm Symposium Sponsors include; Bluhen Botanicals, Bish Enterprises, Colorado Breeders Depot, Front Range Biosciences, Hempsac, New West Genetics, ProVerde Labs and Rad Extracts. Meet all of our Sponsor Partners here: https://nocohempexpo.com/sponsors/.

About the NoCo Hemp Expo
The 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo is produced by the Colorado Hemp Company, a division of WAFBA LLC (We Are For Better Alternatives), based in Loveland, CO. WAFBA also is the producer of the 2nd Annual Southern Hemp Expo and founder of TreeFreeHemp paper and printing services. Areas of focus include product and brand development, event production, consulting and advocacy. NoCo6 provides support to nonprofit organizations including Bee Heroic; the Jack Herer Foundation; and Hemp History Week, celebrating its 10th anniversary in June 2019. Learn more at NocoHempExpo.com, or visit us on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, #NoCo6. 

Hemp Market Takes Off at Expo West

For Presence Marketing Newsletter, April 2019
By Steven Hoffman

Anyone attending Natural Products Expo West, the world’s largest natural products trade show, held this past March, couldn’t help but notice that 2019 has emerged as “The Year of Hemp” in the natural and organic products market.

Indeed, the legalization of industrial hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill has been a boon for independent natural foods retailers, said Loren Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance. “For smaller stores, this category has been a lifeline for them as they battle to maintain foot traffic in the stores as online sales continue to grow.”  

Larger stores, too, are eyeing the hemp market: Boulder-based Lucky’s Market has taken the lead in hemp and CBD product sales in its stores nationwide, with full shelf sets in the natural living department. Ohio-based Mustard Seed Market’s supplement sales are being driven by its commitment to CBD products, says Nutrition Director Abraham Nabors. Whole Foods Market’s trend spotters identified hemp as a “top 10 food trend for 2019,” and recently, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey indicated the possibility of Whole Foods selling cannabis products should they become legal in the future.

According to Hemp Business Journal’s new report, The Global State of Hemp: 2019 Industry Outlook, U.S. sales of hemp products – from full-spectrum hemp extract and CBD products to hemp foods, textiles, building materials, bioplastics and more – estimated at $1 billion in 2018, are projected to grow 27% annually to reach $2.6 billion by 2022. Global hemp retail sales totaled $3.7 billion in 2018 and are projected to grow to $5.7 billion by 2020.

The passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the Farm Bill, in late December was nothing less than historic, legalizing for the first time in more than 80 years the commercial cultivation and sale of industrial hemp. “Most importantly, noted journalist Chris Chafin in Rolling Stone, “it removes hemp and any hemp derivative from the Controlled Substances Act, legally separating it from marijuana and putting its supervision under the Department of Agriculture. In the most basic sense, these plants serve three primary uses: fiber (paper and cloth), seeds (for hemp oil and food), and cannabinoid oils. It’s this last category that’s the most profitable and has the biggest potential for growth. The [Farm Bill] defines hemp as any part or derivative of cannabis with a THC level below 0.3 percent on a dry-weight basis,” Chafin reported.

Hemp Steals the Show at Expo West
Interest in the category was so strong at 2019 Natural Products Expo West that a full-day Hemp & CBD Summit held at the show spilled out beyond a 500-person ballroom into two other rooms where a similar-sized audience watched by live video feed. Also, during a panel discussion hosted by Presence Marketing and NCG at Expo West for over 150 retailers, CBD and hemp supply chain (e.g., ensuring that the full spectrum hemp extract products you carry are sourced from certified organic producers, etc.) dominated the discussion.

Full spectrum hemp and CBD products from new and national brands alike were introduced everywhere at the trade show: carob snacks with hemp extract from Missy J’s; CBD sparkling water from Weller; hemp-infused honey from Colorado Hemp Honey; CBD wellness shooters introduced by Navitas; organic full-spectrum hemp extract from Gaia Herbs, Charlotte’s Web, CV Sciences and others; hemp supplements by Leaf Therapeutics, a new brand launched by legacy brand Solaray; hemp gummies and caramels from Boulder-based Restorative Botanicals; CBD sports nutrition, hemp balms, hemp infused body care products and more. Honestly, what didn’t have CBD hemp extract at Expo West?

And that’s not to mention hemp foods derived from hemp seed – high in plant-based protein and omega-3 essential fatty acids, but with no CBD or cannabinoid compounds. Sold for over 20 years in natural foods stores, hemp seed-derived products are now widely regarded as superfoods. Brands such as Tempt, Manitoba Harvest, Evo Hemp and others presented new hemp food offerings at Expo West, capitalizing on heightened interest in all things hemp.

CBD or Hemp Extract?
The FDA may yet come out against use of the term “CBD.” While the agency is expected to review CBD and hemp extracts in food and supplements in the near future, according to outgoing FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, CBD isolate was approved as a drug by the agency after granting license for Epidiolex, the first pharmaceutical derived from cannabidiol (CBD), manufactured by the company GW Pharmaceuticals. The commissioner had recently spoken of a “pathway” to acceptance of hemp CBD as a dietary ingredient. However, with Gottlieb announcing his resignation in early March, many in the natural products industry are uncertain whether progress on FDA regulatory policy regarding hemp and CBD will be made.

However, judging from exhibit after exhibit on the trade show floor, you wouldn’t know the regulatory waters around the use of the term “CBD” are murky. For many exhibitors at Expo West, “CBD” was the go-to phrase on product packaging, literature and exhibit signage, while others more conservatively stuck to the phrase “full-spectrum hemp extract.” 

Despite FDA’s lack of a decision to date in this regard, manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike are responding positively to the use of CBD on the product label, and are not waiting for FDA to decide. This could be an issue down the road for many manufacturers, should the FDA decide to crack down on use of CBD on labels. The key, advised a number of speakers at the show, is avoid the use of CBD isolate in products and stick with full-spectrum hemp extract to avoid unwanted attention from the FDA. 

While "it’s still unclear how different federal agencies will interpret the new [Farm Bill] rules...it doesn’t matter — people in the CBD industry are calling the new legislation a game changer," observed Chafin in Rolling Stone.

Transparency and Testing Are Crucial
A major theme at Expo West’s Hemp & CBD Summit focused on manufacturers operating with safety and integrity, noted CBD Insider in a March 9, 2019, report. “To preserve integrity, businesses must always test their products, especially in these six areas: cannabinoid potency, residual solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, microbes, and terpenes. After this testing is complete and the products are verifiably ready for consumption, companies should be transparent with their testing and provide documentation of third-party lab results. Companies — and consumers — must do their homework and ask questions. If a laboratory, farmer, brand, or any other entity in the supply chain is not willing to be transparent, it’s a sign that you should do business elsewhere. Many of the speakers discussed how they personally vet businesses before working with them, such as requiring documentation or personally visiting the company’s facility,” reported CBD Insider.

In addition, and importantly, retailers and consumers should seek out hemp products that are grown in accordance with certified organic and preferably climate friendly regenerative practices, emphasized John Roulac, founder of Nutiva and RE: Botanicals, a new hemp “apothecary,” which debuted at Expo West. Beware of low-cost hemp extract products that may have been produced with industrial agriculture practices including toxic, synthetic pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers derived from natural gas and fracking – contributors to global warming – and extracted with toxic organic solvents, he cautioned.

U.S. Hemp Acreage – 80,000 Acres and Growing
Although hemp is now legal across the U.S., the message seems to be getting out slowly, and state and local authorities are still seizing hemp crops and truckers are being arrested for crossing state lines with container loads of harvested industrial hemp for processing, tying up individuals in jail and leaving valuable inventory in limbo.

Currently, nine states – Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, South Dakota, Iowa, Texas, and Connecticut – still prohibit hemp production under any circumstances. And four states – Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas – still prohibit hemp-derived CBD. “For now, transporting hemp across these state lines may still be as dangerous as it’s ever been,” reported science writer Leo Bear-McGuiness in Analytical Cannabis.  

Yet, “damn the torpedoes,” U.S. farmers are saying, as they respond to soaring demand by dedicating farmland to hemp cultivation, seeing it as a potential cash crop and an alternative to growing GMO corn, soy, tobacco and other commodity crops. 

According to hemp advocacy group Vote Hemp, the U.S. hemp crop tripled in 2018 to 78,176 acres, up from 25,713 acres in hemp cultivation in 2017. That figure is expected to grow now that the Farm Bill has opened the door nationwide to hemp production, says Vote Hemp. Montana emerged as the top hemp growing state in 2018, followed by Colorado, Oregon, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and North Dakota, respectively, according to Vote Hemp.

Learn More

• Let’s Talk Hemp – a leading newsletter and podcast by the producer of NoCo Hemp Expo and Southern Hemp Expo

• Hemp Business Journal – strategic data and information for the hemp industry

• Hemp Industry Daily – news, market research and trade information

• Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week – May 20-23, 2019, Washington, DC, featuring a track on organic hemp production

• Southern Hemp Expo – September 6-7, 2019, Nashville, TN, the largest exhibition and conference of hemp industry professionals in the East

• Natural Products Expo East – September 11-14, 2019, Baltimore, MD, presenting the Natural Products Hemp & CBD Summit

• Vote Hemp – representing hemp producers and advocating for hemp policy and regulation